Adding a ‘zero’ to land records inflated from 50 kanals to 500 kanals for fraudulent plot allocations
ISLAMABAD:
An alleged corruption scandal involving forgery, collusion and manipulation of laws has emerged at the Capital Development Authority (CDA), revealing the fraudulent allotment of five agricultural plots worth Rs 5 billion.
CDA officials and staff allegedly added an additional zero to the victims’ land claim (converting 50 kanals into 500 kanals) to ensure allocation of such plots.
CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa immediately ordered an investigation and sought a full report within three days. Reliable sources told The Express PAkGazette that on the instructions of the president, director Kashif Niaz has issued a formal inquiry order to ascertain the facts.
According to the order, CDA Deputy Director General Resources Humaira Irshad will chair the inquiry committee and CDA Director State Management Shakeel Ahmad will be a member.
The investigation order states that the allocations of agricultural plots numbered 38, 40, 59, 66 and 66-A were completely fraudulent: they were prepared using manipulated income records and false documents inserted in official files.
The investigation has so far revealed that all five awards were based on deliberate fraud and false documentation.
The committee has also been ordered to identify the role of a man named Aslam Jamil, who presented himself as a private individual.
“The committee must explain in writing who this influential man is and how he managed to manipulate not only a CDA leadership, but also officials from the Treasury, the CDA DC Office, the Land Directorate and even the former Deputy Director General of State,” it was stated.
Similarly, it was ordered that the committee must investigate the then deputy director Land Irfan Ahmed, whose record suggests he acted against CDA’s interests in agricultural matters.
“All related documents must be recovered from official archives and included in the investigation.”
The committee has been instructed to maintain complete confidentiality and submit a merit-based report identifying all responsible officials, along with recommendations.
Sources further revealed that Aslam Jamil, who circumvented all CDA rules, was actually a former CDA employee who is now retired and residing in an upscale section of Islamabad.
The CDA President could not be reached for comment. However, a senior CDA official confirmed to The Express PAkGazette that a confidential investigation has been launched and a committee formed on the orders of the president will submit a detailed report within three days.
In response to a question, he said that the matter is not simple at all.
An investigation will be carried out from lower level staff to senior officials, including the Member State. He added that at the time the scam occurred, no Member State was named, so all powers were delegated to the State Deputy Director General.
During this period, the figure of 50 kanals in the victims’ land record was amended to 500 kanals, allowing the allotment of five plots worth Rs 5,000 million.
